


Las Posadas

by mckvch (RaiseYourVoice)



Series: Saphael Winter Tales [22]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Best Friends, Catholic Character, Christmas customs, Festivities, Fluff, Grief/Mourning (briefly mentioned), Hanukkah (mentioned), Jewish Character, Las Posadas, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Winter, Young Simon and Raphael being adorable, character death (mentioned), first kiss (mentioned), hand holding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-22
Updated: 2016-12-22
Packaged: 2018-09-03 09:48:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8707639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaiseYourVoice/pseuds/mckvch
Summary: He was sad that this Hannukkah they only lit the menorah and silently said their prayers, had only a smaller version of the usually more festive meals because the cloud of loss still lingered in their home and rested heavily on all of their chests. Which was the reason his mother had actually suggested for him to join Raphael and his family with celebrating their traditions and his best friend's family had welcomed him with open arms, as they always did.Simon could only briefly think of himself as an intruder in traditions that weren't his to celebrate because Guadalupe had immediately suggested for him to dress up as well and join the small procession through the neighbourhood. Raphael had told him about their customs a few times before so it wasn't completely new to Simon but it was still completely different to witness it first hand. He only ever saw all the usual Christmasy stuff on tv and in the city but he had never seen the Mexican traditions with his own eyes.





	

"And you do this every year? This is so much more fun than Hanukkah," Simon said with wonder in his eyes, glancing around at the group of partly costumed people around them of all different ages, some of them with instruments following the group of maybe 15 people. Raphael and he were in the middle of the small procession, fingers intertwined and the former looked especially proud because it was his cousin playing the role of Mary in the re-creation of the Holy Pilgrimage this year.

The two boys were dressed up as well, old clothes that Raphael's father had left when he chose to abandon his family two years ago (not that anyone was sad about this, the guy had been abusive towards his kids and wife) had been turned into something that looked kind of like the clothing of Shepherds.

Simon hadn't been too sure if he would be able to enjoy this evening because it was the first Hannukah since his father passed and they didn't really celebrate this year for that very reason and the 13-year-old boy still didn't now how to cope with the fact that certain small moments with his father wouldn't occur anymore. Never again would his dad tell him to be careful when he lit a candle on the menorah, never again bet with peanuts or candies during a game of dreidel and never again pull faces at Simon like a child during the service at the synagogue or stick his tongue out at him and Rebecca when they sung one of the Hanukkah songs he didn't like.

He was sad that this Hannukkah they only lit the menorah and silently said their prayers, had only a smaller version of the usually more festive meals because the cloud of loss still lingered in their home and rested heavily on all of their chests. Which was the reason his mother had actually suggested for him to join Raphael and his family with celebrating their traditions and his best friend's family had welcomed him with open arms, as they always did.

Simon could only briefly think of himself as an intruder in traditions that weren't his to celebrate because Guadalupe had immediately suggested for him to dress up as well and join the small procession through the neighbourhood. Raphael had told him about their customs a few times before so it wasn't completely new to Simon but it was still completely different to witness it first hand. He only ever saw all the usual Christmasy stuff on tv and in the city but he had never seen the Mexican traditions with his own eyes.

He had always enjoyed singing songs at home or in the synagogue for Hanukkah but walking through the street in this cheerful group, dressed up as the biblical characters and chanting songs in Spanish was somewhat more fun - maybe because he had never done this before and it didn't have the memories of his father clinging to it.

Simon glanced at his best friend, saw the small golden cross around Raphael's neck reflect some of the glistening Christmas lights people had put on their houses and his free hand automatically reached out to his own neck, fingertips pressing against the Star of David pendant he could feel under the material of his jacket, resting against his chest. His grandparents had given him the pendant for his bar mitzvah a few months earlier and Simon loved the filigree image of the Star, even though it would always remind him of the fact that his father hadn't been there to attend his coming of age ritual.

His thoughts were interrupted when the small procession reached the destination of the evening, the third house that had been designated to be an "inn" and the two dressed as Mary and Joseph knocked on the door to ask for lodging and after being rejected by the first two houses they visited, this time they were welcomed to take shelter in the stable by a man Simon recognised as Raphael's uncle. Of course, it was all part of the play and Raphael tugged his best friend a little closer when they all gathered around a manger scene that had been set up in the front yard for prayers and songs.

* * *

When they arrived back at the Santiago's, Guadalupe, Raphael's younger brothers and some other relatives that hadn't attended the procession greeted them with hot apple cider to shake off the cold clinging to their bodies and the smell of delicious food filled Simon's nostrils, causing his stomach to growl and he noticed how hungry he actually was.

"Come on, boys, let's eat and then you kids can break the piñata," Guadalupe said with a smile and ushered the boys into the living room, as soon as they had taken off their boots and winter clothes.

"I'm really happy you're celebrating with us, Si," Raphael murmured close to his best friend's ear after they sat down at the table and everyone around the chattered happily while Guadalupe distributed the food on everyone's plates. Simon glanced at the younger boy and tonight was probably one of the only few nights since his father's death that a genuine smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, reaching his eyes with a soft glow and Raphael couldn't help but reach for the other's hand under the table.

"Me too. Thank you for inviting me, Rapha," Simon whispered softly and he leant in to brush an innocent kiss to his best friend's cheek because he knew no one here would mind, despite them being boys but Raphael's family had always been very affectionate - leaving out his father because that guy had been the exact opposite - and especially Guadalupe used every opportunity to press a kiss to the heads of her kids, Simon included.

Squeezing Raphael's gentle fingers, Simon beamed up at Guadalupe when she asked him what he wanted to eat and the boy's heart swelled a little more with love for the woman he already considered his second mum at the realisation that she had once again cooked at least two dishes without any meat, always considerate of the fact that Simon had decided to follow in his father's steps to become a vegetarian - his way of keeping his dad a little bit closer, even though his mother was convinced that it was just a _phase_.

Simon had thought the evening really couldn't get any better than that, with delicious food in his belly, laughter and cheerful songs surrounding him like a warm blanket the whole evening and Raphael never leaving his side despite of the younger kids always trying to direct his attention at them but later, the piñata long broken and emptied, when they were curled up in Raphael's bed with one of his younger brothers already fast asleep at the other end of the shared room, it wasn't only some of the candy they shared in the darkness.

Simon was pretty sure that Raphael's lips would always taste this sweet, not just right after eating some candy, and he was looking forward to finding out whether this assumption was true.

**Author's Note:**

> I read the wikipedia page about "Las Posadas" but I also used [this](http://www.mexgrocer.com/mexcocina-feliz01.html#) site as source :)


End file.
